Single 4-Conductor Pickup

PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS Passive Wiring

Single 4-Conductor Pickup: Passive Setup with Volume and Tone
Bartolini pickups are precision magnetic transducers designed and built to bring out
the fullest response from electric guitars and basses. They are hand assembled in
California from quality materials and carry a 1-year warranty against defects in
materials and workmanship.
Most Bartolini pickups can be used with standard passive tone and volume controls.
The diagram below is a very simple setup for passive tone and volume for a single
pickup using 4-conductor cable. This will connect the pickup coils in series hum
canceling for the fullest output.
*Most audio-taper pots use a 15% taper. We
Connect Red & White and cover think that a 30% taper is better for the volume
Pickup Cable with heat-shrink control (30A250K), and 10% taper is better for
the tone control (10A250K). 500KΩ pots will
give basses a brighter tone but are more
commonly used with guitar humbucker pickups.
Connect Green & shield
drain to ground
Ground
250K* 250K*
Audio 473 Audio
0.047uF capacitor**
Volume Tone
Out

A capacitor of lower value will provide brighter tone. For bass common values are between **0.068uF (darkest
tone) and 0.022uF (brightest tone), and for guitars between 0.033uF(dark) and 0.010uF(bright). 250KΩ pots are
most common for bass.* 500KΩ pots will give basses a brighter tone but are more commonly used with guitar
humbucker pickups.

Dual 4 Conductor pickups connected to a blend pot as part of a

Bartolini pre-wired harness.
Bridge Pickup Cable
To Blend pots may be 5A5C taper or MN
taper. 5A5C reduces volume for each
Preamp, pickup slightly at center detent for
Neck Pickup Cable 5A5C250K or more even volume overall. MN will be
Volume louder at center. Preferences vary. We
usually use 5A5C.

Blend

© all rights reserved Bartolini,

Inc. 2021
 Dual 4-Conductor Pickups
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS Passive Wiring

Dual 4-Conductor Pickup Passive Setup with 2 Volumes and 1 Tone

Neck Pickup Cable Bridge Pickup Cable Connect Red &

White and cover
with heat-shrink

Connect Ground
green and
250K 250K 250K
bare wire to 473

ground Audio Audio Audio

0.047uF
capacitor
Neck Volume Bridge Volume Tone
This diagram shows one example of a very simple passive
setup of one tone and two volume controls for two
pickups using 4-conductor cable. The pickups are wired
for series hum canceling and full output. Out
Dual 4-Conductor Pickup Passive Setup with Blend, Volume, and Tone

Neck Pickup Cable Connect Red & White and

cover with heat-shrink

Ground
Connect
green and 5A5C250K 250K
Blend 473 250K
bare wire to Audio Audio
ground 0.047uF
Blend capacitor
Volume Tone
Bridge Pickup Cable
This diagram shows one example of a very simple passive
setup using , a blend , a volume, and a tone control for two
pickups using 4-conductor cable. The pickups are wired for Out
series hum canceling and full output.
These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included with any Bartolini prewired harness or pickup but are only examples of
how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be switched for tonal variations .

© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021

 Dual 4-Conductor Pickups
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS Passive Wiring
Original and Classic Dual-Coil Humbucker Pickup Wiring Options
Series Hum Canceling

Dual coil Humbuckers

hot output
To Blend, Volume, or Preamp.

Dual Coil Humbucker Series Hum Canceling

Parallel Hum Canceling

Dual Coil Humbuckers

hot output
To Blend, Volume, or Preamp.

Dual Coil Humbucker Parallel Hum Canceling

Coils with North magnetic polarity and shown in red Denotes “ground”. Which is connected
Coils with South magnetic polarity and shown in blue. ultimately to the sleeve terminal on the jack.
These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included with any Bartolini prewired harness or pickup but are only
examples of how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be switched for tonal variations .

© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021

 Switch Wiring for
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS 4-Conductor Pickups
Switch Wiring Diagrams for a Single Dual Coil Pickup with a 4-Conductor Cable
Series Hum Canceling / Neck Side Single Coil
Red

Pickup Cable Bare shield

DPDT hot output
White On-On
To the Blend, Volume or Preamp.
Black Switch

Green
Series Hum Canceling Neck Side Single Coil

Series Hum Canceling / Bridge Side Single Coil

Black

Pickup Cable Bare shield

DPDT hot output
Green On-On To the Blend, Volume or Preamp.
Red Switch

White

Series Hum Canceling Bridge Side Single Coil

Parallel Hum Canceling /Series Hum Canceling

Bare shield
Green
Pickup Cable White

DPDT hot output

On-On To Blend, Volume or Preamp.
Switch
Red
Black
Parallel Hum Canceling Series Hum Canceling

Bridge side coils are North magnetic polarity and shown in red Denotes “ground”. Which is Double-Pole Double-Throw mini toggle switch
connected ultimately to the On-On
Neck side coils are South magnetic polarity and shown in blue.
sleeve terminal on the jack.
These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included with any Bartolini prewired harness
or pickup but are only examples of how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be switched for
tonal variations.

© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021

 Switch Wiring for
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS 4-Conductor Pickups
Switch Wiring Diagrams for a Single Dual Coil Pickup with a 4-Conductor Cable

Parallel Hum Canceling / Neck Single Coil/ Series Hum Canceling

Red
Pickup Cable hot output
Black DPDT
On-On-On To Blend, Volume or Preamp.
Green
Switch
Bare shield

White
Parallel Hum Canceling Series Hum Canceling

Neck Side Single Coil

Parallel Hum Canceling /Bridge Single Coil/ Series Hum Canceling

Black
Pickup Cable hot output
Red DPDT
On-On-On To Blend, Volume or Preamp.
White Switch
Bare shield

Green
Parallel Hum Canceling Series Hum Canceling

Bridge Side Single Coil

Double-Pole Double-Throw mini toggle switch
On-On-On

on on on

Bridge side coils are North magnetic polarity and shown in red Denotes “ground”. Which is connected
Neck side coils are South magnetic polarity and shown in blue. ultimately to the sleeve terminal on the jack.

These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included with any Bartolini prewired harness or pickup but are only
examples of how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be switched for tonal variations .

© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021

 Switch Wiring for
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS 4-Conductor Pickups
Switch Wiring Diagrams for a Single Dual Coil Pickup with a 4-Conductor Cable

Neck Side Single Coil/ Series Hum Canceling/ Bridge Side Single Coil
Black
Bare shield hot output
Pickup Cable DPDT
Green On-On-On To Blend, Volume or Preamp
Switch
White
Red

Neck Side Single Coil Bridge Side Single Coil

Series Hum Canceling

Bridge Side Single Coil/ Parallel Hum Canceling/ Neck Side Single Coil

Red
White
hot output
Pickup Cable Bare shield DPDT
On-On-On To Blend, Volume or Preamp.
Green Switch
Black

Bridge Side Single Coil Neck Side Single Coil

Parallel Hum Canceling

Double-Pole Double-Throw mini toggle switch
On-On-On

on on on

Bridge side coils are North magnetic polarity and shown in red
Denotes “ground”. Which is connected ultimately to the
Neck side coils are South magnetic polarity and shown in blue. sleeve terminal on the jack.

These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included with any Bartolini prewired harness or pickup but are only
examples of how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be switched for tonal variations.

© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021

 Switch Wiring for Dual
PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS 4-Conductor Pickups
Switch Wiring Diagrams for Two Dual Coil Pickups with 4-Conductor Cables
Series Hum Canceling / Outer Single Coils
Red
Neck Pickup Cable
Green
Black
White Neck Pickup output
DPDT
Bare shield
On-On To the Blend, Or Volumes
Bare shield Switch
Bridge Pickup Cable
Green Bridge Pickup output
White
Red
Series Hum Canceling Black Outer Single Coils

Double-Pole Double-Throw mini toggle switch

On-On

Inner Single Coils/ Series Hum Canceling/ Outer Single Coils

Red
Neck Pickup Cable Green Denotes “ground”.
Black Neck Pickup output Which is connected
White ultimately to the
DPDT
Bare shield On-OFF-On To the Blend, Or Volumes sleeve terminal on the
Bare shield Switch jack.
Bridge Pickup Cable Bridge Pickup output
Green
White
Red
Inner Single Coils Black Outer Single Coils

Series Hum Canceling

Double-Pole Double-Throw mini toggle switch

On-OFF-On

Switching to the outer single coils gives a "Tele" like sound for guitars and a "J" like
sound for basses. Switching to the inner coils gives a fuller tone with more Mids. on on
off

These sample wiring diagrams do not represent what is included

Bridge side coils are North magnetic polarity and shown in red with any Bartolini prewired harness or pickup but are only
Neck side coils are South magnetic polarity and shown in blue. examples of how Bartolini 4-conductor cabled pickups can be
switched for tonal variations.
© all rights reserved Bartolini, Inc. 2021